First a disclaimer: This text is based on news from the local press - the Neue Ruhr Zeitung and the Rheinische Post have reported on the case in detail. The association responsible for the trail did not respond to Ride's inquiry, the DIMB is not involved and does not know the local circumstances. However, the picture painted by the local media is pretty clear.

The district town of Kleve is located on the Lower Rhine, not far from the border with the Netherlands. On the other side of the Rhine lies the town of Emmerich, which belongs to the district of Kleve. The two towns have shared a mountain bike route since 2013. Before that, there was the usual bickering between locals who were shoveling trails and the authorities who were trying to prevent this. Responsibility for the official route was assumed by the polysportive Verein Eintracht Emmerich, or more precisely its cycling group.

For many years, this went well, according to the district forester Joachim Böhmer, quoted in the Rheinische Post. But then conditions developed that were no longer acceptable, "and now it's over". The cycling manager of the Eintracht Emmerich club sums up his powerlessness with the statement that the club has few arguments in such a situation.

Unauthorized jumps and loud parties

In concrete terms, mountain bikers were not satisfied with the route, but built more jumps, for which they also dug up trees to use the wood for obstacles. They had also used a shelter to hold parties - clearly audible to people living near the forest. Obvious evidence of the lack of sporting activities: Considerable accumulations of beer cans and cigarette butts in the forest. Gerritz told the Rheinische Post that he repeatedly rode to the trail to clean up. In doing so, he not only picked up mountains of garbage but also entire shopping carts.

The rule that only members of the Eintracht Emmerich club were allowed to use the route seems rather unrealistic. The club's head of cycling - who did not respond to Ride's inquiry - further explains that only a few members rode the trail. In fact, road cycling and triathlon seem to attract more of the club's active members. Instagram posts show that construction work was carried out on the trail in April 2025 - including with a vibratory plate, which doesn't look like unauthorized shovelling.

Involuntarily funny is the fact that a club representative told the Rheinische Post that the club had invested money in the trail: a full 400 euros - including for the shelter. The image that emerges is that of an association riding a project half-heartedly, which is what often happens when no one really takes responsibility: Then the irresponsible take over, use the supposed leeway and are long gone by the time the damage is done.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Radsportgruppe & Emmericher Radraketen (@eintracht_emmerich_radsport)

Association must dismantle the route

The route is now cordoned off with flutter tape that reads "No trespassing! Closed by forestry authorities". It is not known how well the ban is being adhered to. In any case, the Eintracht Emmerich club now has to take responsibility once again: It is obliged to dismantle the mountain bike trail. Unless a solution can be found after all. According to the Rheinische Post, a local Green politician asked the mayor of Kleve whether the town could still do something. He replied that he would be happy to take up the discussion with the forestry office again.

It might be useful to take an example from community trail projects throughout Germany. Where a local group of mountain bikers runs a trail, rides it themselves and feels responsible for it, many of the problems that led to the closure of the bike trail in Kleve should not occur.

One thing is certain: the mountain bikers from the Kleve district will not give up their hobby and will probably not ride to neighboring communities, but will continue where they have had their trails for years. It is possible that the beer cans will be deposited elsewhere in the forest in future. But as far as wild trail building in the forest is concerned, Kleve and Emmerich are returning to the field where they stood more than twelve years ago.

And if there are any further details that make the trail project that got out of hand understandable - for example, the views of the guys who rode the trail - we'd be delighted if the insides were sent to us. Just scroll all the way down to contact us.